The past week and a half...
where do i begin? This week has been hectic. Today, I had to give my first presentation in a "tico" class. I would say it went...good. The teacher came up to me after and told me good job, so that made me feel somewhat better. For some reason, its really difficult for me to pronounce certain words...i blame it on studying french for 4 years...
This past weekend...I didn't do much. Friday, there was a group of us gringo's who went to san jose to see the university of Costa Rica. It was like any other campus in the USA...it reminded me of NWMSU and how I wish I could have studied in San Jose rather than Heredia because of the campus. It was so much open, prettier, and bigger. On Saturday night, a few gringo's and I went to a bar near our unviversity.
I was annoyed all day today because things are really starting to make me mad! Like, for example, how it has rained here for 7 days in a row now...nonstop. AND the fact that I have to carry everything I need with me for the whole day to school for 13 hours. 13 hours is too long to be at school, constantly thinking. I am tired of my clothes/hair/shoes/backpack/school materials/money/face being wet from the rain. Its getting super annoying. Rain, please stop. As some of you may know, I am pretty sure a lot of the rain is coming from hurricane Mathew...I can't wait for it to leave central america...
but on the other hand...I hate to sit here and complain. Because I am going to look back on these past 6 months and think, "those were the best 6 months of my life." I am trying to take advantage of everything while I can and not be such a debby downer....cause I know as soon as I get back to the USA, I am going to wish I was back in Costa Rica. Only because everyday I learn so much spanish and I know in the USA, I won't be able to. BUT....cheers to the next two months and being positive :)
Also, I got back a paper from one of my classes, 100%. I never thought I would see that day...
what else is new? oh, this week, I got TWO packages from two of my best friends.
Krista sent me a package with a magazine(in english!), a letter, pictures, candy, and halloween oreos. Amy sent me a tshirt from her soccer team, a rubber ducky, and a necklace. Little things like this make my days so much better. I know I say this all the time, but I am so lucky to have the friends that I do. I am one lucky girl :) but thank you both for my packages! :) It makes me not miss home so much!
I am not really sure what else to say right now. Hopefully I will get better at updating this. Only two more months to go...crazy. these 6 months are flying by!
Some things I am going to do the first weekend I get back to the USA:
*eat jimmy johns/hectors/dairy queen/homecooked meal/tacobell nachos
*take a shower without shoes :)
*re-learn how to drive a car
*visit my nephews/niece, and sorority sisters
okay, buenas noches y dulces suenos! :)
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Saturday, September 18, 2010
tranquilo
Hola!
Today (Friday) was my first relaxing/chill day in a very long time. I didn’t do much besides the gym, homework, and talked with friends/family. Funny story of the day=so, I went to the gym with my friend Kelly. She lifts all the time when she goes to the gym, and she asked me why I don’t. My response-I don’t really know how to. I haven’t really lifted since basketball season in hishschool, sooo long ago and I can say I didn’t take lifting during basketball season very seriously. So, we went to the gym today together and we attempted to lift. I guess I should say, I attempted to lift. So so so funny. I was doing some kind of arm exercise and obviously I wasn’t doing it correctly after two trainers came up to me and attempted to help me, in Spanish. I had no idea what they were saying, I guess I should brush up on my “gym” Spanish vocabulary. So funny. After they attempted to help me, I hit my head on the machine. So so embarrassing and like I always say, it’s not like everyone already stares at me. This time at the gym, I gave them a reason to stare hahahaha but, pura vida. My arms are extremely sore. I am gonna come back from Costa Rica ripped, watch out J haha just kidding.
I am starting to listen to Spanish music and I am loving it! Its so cool being able to listen to a song and understand what they are saying. Costa Rica is paying off! I only have about 73 days in this country. Holy crap, where did the time go? I cant believe it and thinking about my return to the united states literally scares me. Everything is going to be so easy when I get back and I don’t think I am going to like that. I love living in Costa Rica because I encounter challenges everyday. With either the language, food, technology, busses, people, etc. It makes life so interesting knowing everyday you wake up, you wont know how to get somewhere or you wont know what a person is saying to you or you don’t know how to respond to someone. Call me weird, but I love the daily challenges here. When I go back to the US, my classes are going to be in English, boringggg. Everyone is going to speak English and I will be able to understand them, boringggg.
Random fact of the day-I took a 3 hour nap today. It was much needed…it was a long week full of celebrations, studying, and writing papers.
Today (Friday) was my first relaxing/chill day in a very long time. I didn’t do much besides the gym, homework, and talked with friends/family. Funny story of the day=so, I went to the gym with my friend Kelly. She lifts all the time when she goes to the gym, and she asked me why I don’t. My response-I don’t really know how to. I haven’t really lifted since basketball season in hishschool, sooo long ago and I can say I didn’t take lifting during basketball season very seriously. So, we went to the gym today together and we attempted to lift. I guess I should say, I attempted to lift. So so so funny. I was doing some kind of arm exercise and obviously I wasn’t doing it correctly after two trainers came up to me and attempted to help me, in Spanish. I had no idea what they were saying, I guess I should brush up on my “gym” Spanish vocabulary. So funny. After they attempted to help me, I hit my head on the machine. So so embarrassing and like I always say, it’s not like everyone already stares at me. This time at the gym, I gave them a reason to stare hahahaha but, pura vida. My arms are extremely sore. I am gonna come back from Costa Rica ripped, watch out J haha just kidding.
I am starting to listen to Spanish music and I am loving it! Its so cool being able to listen to a song and understand what they are saying. Costa Rica is paying off! I only have about 73 days in this country. Holy crap, where did the time go? I cant believe it and thinking about my return to the united states literally scares me. Everything is going to be so easy when I get back and I don’t think I am going to like that. I love living in Costa Rica because I encounter challenges everyday. With either the language, food, technology, busses, people, etc. It makes life so interesting knowing everyday you wake up, you wont know how to get somewhere or you wont know what a person is saying to you or you don’t know how to respond to someone. Call me weird, but I love the daily challenges here. When I go back to the US, my classes are going to be in English, boringggg. Everyone is going to speak English and I will be able to understand them, boringggg.
Random fact of the day-I took a 3 hour nap today. It was much needed…it was a long week full of celebrations, studying, and writing papers.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Hola :)
Monday-I had class until 230. After class, I went to the gym, came home, did homework and chatted with the family. Also, I got a package from my friend Angela Wasko! :) She sent me candy, bobby pins, chaptstick, and lotion. Thank you so muchhh! :)
Tuesday-I had class till one, went to the gym after, showered, then went to central heredia because they were having Independence day festivities. I went with my friend kelly. Before we went to see the festivities, we went to a local bar and had a drink. The independence day festivities included people singing, dancing to folklore music, etc. At 6pm, everyone in Costa Rica at the same time sings a song wherever they are at that moment. It was so cool to be able to witness all the festivities! Also, little kids bring "faroles" which are kinda like laterns made out of paper or plastic and they light a candle in the middle of it. There were a ton of those. I will put up pictures tonight or tomorrow, check them out! It was so cool to witness all of this. Def. a wonderful culture experience. After all the singing and dancing, 3 friends and I went to the local pizza place, (where they know me by name and what i order every single time, how embarrassing) and after, we went to the bar. My friend came and picked me up and we drove around for a while.
Wednesday- NOSCHOOL! I woke up early, around 7 to go the parade. It was SO HOTT. My legs got burnt through my jeans, thats how hot it was! The parade was just like any other parade in the USA. There were dancers, cheerleaders, bands, gov't people, etc. After, I went to POPS to get some ice cream, fail. But it was too hot to pass up ice cream! After the parade, i went home and took a nap, did some homework, showered, and got ready. It was a girls 21st brithday in my exchange program so we all surprised her at her ticohouse with cake! She was so suprised. Her parents made us all food, mom-i tried Lasgana with spinage? (idk how to spell it haha) and her papatico made us all drinks, so so good. After, we went to the bar to help her celebrate. I love going out in Costa Rica. Everyone is always so happy and having a good time. Its awesome.
Thursday-I woke up, with a bad headache, wrote a 5 page paper, had class from 1-7, now i am here writing this and hopefully going to bed soon. I am exhausted-it has been a long week.
somethings on my mind:
1. no fireworks in Costa Rica, how depressing.
2. my sorority sisters finally have their facebooks back, and my sorority got 36 new girls. I can't wait to meet all of them!
3. my classes are getting hard and i feel like i dont do anything here until the last minute. wonderful.
4. i am scared to go back to the united states. Iam nervous because i feel like i may be bored and everything is going to be so easy again. That scares me.
5. its my bed time :)
6. i am trying to mess around with pictures. but the first picture is of the place where people sang and danced on Tuesday night in central heredia!
buenas noches y dulces suenos :)
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Sunday Funday
Hola! :)
Today, was a good day! :) I woke up around 830, checked me email and facebook, and worked on homework. My host mom and I talked a lot today. She is so cute and we are starting to become super close and that scares the crap out of me knowing i am leaving in less than 3 months. Its almost like I want to start shutting people out and stop getting so close to everyone here so its easier to leave in December. But then again, who would want to do that?
I taught my little host sister nose, ears, mouth, eyes, tongue, teeth, and cheeks tonight :) she is so adorable. Later, I went to a movie with some friends. I dont know what it is called in English....nor Spanish as a matter of fact. haha oops. It was 3d and about fire, air, earth, and something else? idk...haha it was interesting. After, we went to Wendy's then I got dropped off at home. I am now writing this, getting ready to finish some homework and study for my two tests that I have tomorrow :(
On a positive note, we don't have class Wednesday! woohooo! Its the Costa Rican Independence day! :)
Buenas Noches :)
Today, was a good day! :) I woke up around 830, checked me email and facebook, and worked on homework. My host mom and I talked a lot today. She is so cute and we are starting to become super close and that scares the crap out of me knowing i am leaving in less than 3 months. Its almost like I want to start shutting people out and stop getting so close to everyone here so its easier to leave in December. But then again, who would want to do that?
I taught my little host sister nose, ears, mouth, eyes, tongue, teeth, and cheeks tonight :) she is so adorable. Later, I went to a movie with some friends. I dont know what it is called in English....nor Spanish as a matter of fact. haha oops. It was 3d and about fire, air, earth, and something else? idk...haha it was interesting. After, we went to Wendy's then I got dropped off at home. I am now writing this, getting ready to finish some homework and study for my two tests that I have tomorrow :(
On a positive note, we don't have class Wednesday! woohooo! Its the Costa Rican Independence day! :)
Buenas Noches :)
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Volcan Poas y La Paz Waterfalls
Hola! :)
Friday-I contemplated for about an hour if I should go to the gym or not. I ended up choosing to not go. royal fail as kelly would say. I showered, ate lunch (as my mom was making me lunch, the power went out. I swear this is a weekly occurrence) then left for escazu. Escazu is kinda like how millard is to omaha. Escazu is a very nice suburb of San Jose (Costa Rica capital). I went there to buy body spray and pink jeans. I found body spray, but failed at finding pink jeans. I dont know why I feel the need to buy pink jeans, but I am convinced it needs to happen. Everyone in Costa Rica wears colored skinny jeans and I want a pair! :) After shopping, Kelly and I saw "el orgin". In english, inception. It was a very very good movie. Kelly cried, hahahaha. The popcorn is always good here! Also, the seats lean back in the theatre. Be jealous. After the movie, two of my friends picked us up. We bought some beer at the automercado in the mall and drank. I love just driving around heredia. Its always a good time when you are in a car rather than a bus. After, they dropped me off at home, and i skyped with my friends until about 3am. Good times!
Saturday-I was up at 530am. I had an ISEP field trip. We went to volcan Poas and la paz waterfalls. It was a very very good day. I saw yet another active volcano and the crater.....costa rica amazes me. There are so many beautiful things to see here. It was smoking the whole time...pictures coming soon. After, we shopped around the souvenir store and left for the la paz waterfalls. Here, we ate a buffet lunch. I for sure took advantage of the unlimited buffet. After, we walked around the park. Did you know the la paz waterfall park has the worlds biggest butterfly conservation? Well, know you do :) We saw butterflys, jaguars, monkeys, birds( We got to go in the cage and the birds flew onto your arm. I was very scared at first but i got warmed up after a couple of minutes). We put food between our teeth, and the bird would put his mouth to your mouth and get the food-PICTURES TO COME! It was so cool and something I can cross off my bucket list-to feed a bird by mouth. hahaha just kidding, but seriously. THEN, the waterfalls. Costa Rica has so many and they are all different. It amazes me. once again, pictures to come. After the waterfalls, we went to a souvenir area up in the mountains then back to Heredia.
I am so exahusted after only getting 3 hours of sleep last night. Buenas Noches! :)
Friday-I contemplated for about an hour if I should go to the gym or not. I ended up choosing to not go. royal fail as kelly would say. I showered, ate lunch (as my mom was making me lunch, the power went out. I swear this is a weekly occurrence) then left for escazu. Escazu is kinda like how millard is to omaha. Escazu is a very nice suburb of San Jose (Costa Rica capital). I went there to buy body spray and pink jeans. I found body spray, but failed at finding pink jeans. I dont know why I feel the need to buy pink jeans, but I am convinced it needs to happen. Everyone in Costa Rica wears colored skinny jeans and I want a pair! :) After shopping, Kelly and I saw "el orgin". In english, inception. It was a very very good movie. Kelly cried, hahahaha. The popcorn is always good here! Also, the seats lean back in the theatre. Be jealous. After the movie, two of my friends picked us up. We bought some beer at the automercado in the mall and drank. I love just driving around heredia. Its always a good time when you are in a car rather than a bus. After, they dropped me off at home, and i skyped with my friends until about 3am. Good times!
Saturday-I was up at 530am. I had an ISEP field trip. We went to volcan Poas and la paz waterfalls. It was a very very good day. I saw yet another active volcano and the crater.....costa rica amazes me. There are so many beautiful things to see here. It was smoking the whole time...pictures coming soon. After, we shopped around the souvenir store and left for the la paz waterfalls. Here, we ate a buffet lunch. I for sure took advantage of the unlimited buffet. After, we walked around the park. Did you know the la paz waterfall park has the worlds biggest butterfly conservation? Well, know you do :) We saw butterflys, jaguars, monkeys, birds( We got to go in the cage and the birds flew onto your arm. I was very scared at first but i got warmed up after a couple of minutes). We put food between our teeth, and the bird would put his mouth to your mouth and get the food-PICTURES TO COME! It was so cool and something I can cross off my bucket list-to feed a bird by mouth. hahaha just kidding, but seriously. THEN, the waterfalls. Costa Rica has so many and they are all different. It amazes me. once again, pictures to come. After the waterfalls, we went to a souvenir area up in the mountains then back to Heredia.
I am so exahusted after only getting 3 hours of sleep last night. Buenas Noches! :)
Thursday, September 9, 2010
IAM BACKKKKKK
ahhh, I finally have a computer again! :) My lovely mother sent me one to Costa Rica. She must have really really missed talking to me on a daily basis to send me the house laptop to Costa Rica! :)
I don't even know where to begin! It has been atleast a month since I have blogged. I guess I will start off with my classes. Everyone always asks how my classes are going, and they are all going good so far. They are extremly difficult but I had expected it. I dont understand the teachers most of the time, word for word but I get the gist of what they say. I have made friends in all of my classes so i always have someone i can go to if i have questions. Compared to the united states, classes are very easy here. For me, its not easy because of the spanish, but if i spoke Spanish fluently, they would be a piece of cake. Everything we normally do is in a group.
So thats always nice!
My Costa family is wonderful and nothing really is new. Iam going to miss the food that my mom makes me everyday once I go back to the USA.
My flip flop broke on Monday after i was leaving the library at like 6 at night. It was dark and i tripped. Good thing i wasnt by myself because that would have been very embarassing. I walked home with one shoe on. Everyone stared at me, go figures. Especially when I get on the bus. and me being the germ freak i am, i washed my foot as soon as i got home.
I have an ISEP field trip this saturday until sunday. We are going to some volcano.
Since the last time I blogged, I went to Puntarenas. Its a beach town, I went with my friend Kelly. The hostel had a pool so the first night we just hung out at the pool then saturday we went to the beach and got FRIED after being out in the sun for only two hours. AND we used spf 100....what the heck!
I miss all my sorority sisters because it is recruitment time so they all had to deactivate their facebooks for two weeks.
I just got done skyping Ed and Krista. Boy, have I missed them. I also skyped with Amanda earlier, but she doesn't have a camera so I only got to hear her voice...fail amanda.
I have made a lot of "tico" friends. Two in particular that I hang with all the time. I am going to miss them so much.
I am starting to fall in love with Costa Rica and I can honestly say that I won't be ready to leave when the time comes. I have learned more Spanish than I ever have with being here for 3 months. I love the constant Spanish and the food. Speaking of food, while I have been in Costa Rica, I feel the need to eat chocolate EVERY SINGLE DAY! What is wrong with me? That being said, I joined a gym two days ago. It felt so so so good to go workout in a gym and be able to run without having the fear of getting killed. so good, let me tell you.
I feel like I am going to feel so spoiled once I go back to NW and my classes are in English. I had a test today in my dance class. There was a written part and we had to dance two different dances. I think i passed, lets hope! I have to wear this rediculous skirt.
What else is new? uhm, Sunday I went to San Jose to see "son como ninos"- I dont know what its called in english...but its a movie with adam sandler. It was very very funny and I went with two tico friends. One of my friends, he had an interview in English the following day so we went to the mall and talked in english the whole time so he could practice before his interview. Needless to say, he passed the interview :)
Last Saturday, I went out with my friend Kelly and her hermanatica. It was her birthday-we went to hooligans then to a different bar where we could dance. It was a lot of fun to go out with older people. She was turning 28, i want to say?
sorry everything is so scattered. I just have so much to say because I have been gone for so long. People still stare at me like I am some freak or alien. not cool. Yes, i have light hair, and light skin, and light eyes....but does that really give you to feel the need to stare at me for minutes? NO
uhm, okay. That is all for now. I will try to get in the habit of updating this on a daily basis again.
Also, today is kids day in Costa Rica. There was a bunch of stuff going on, it was kind of cool to see because we dont really have a national kids day in the USA.
Buenas Noches y Dulces Suenos! :)
I don't even know where to begin! It has been atleast a month since I have blogged. I guess I will start off with my classes. Everyone always asks how my classes are going, and they are all going good so far. They are extremly difficult but I had expected it. I dont understand the teachers most of the time, word for word but I get the gist of what they say. I have made friends in all of my classes so i always have someone i can go to if i have questions. Compared to the united states, classes are very easy here. For me, its not easy because of the spanish, but if i spoke Spanish fluently, they would be a piece of cake. Everything we normally do is in a group.
So thats always nice!
My Costa family is wonderful and nothing really is new. Iam going to miss the food that my mom makes me everyday once I go back to the USA.
My flip flop broke on Monday after i was leaving the library at like 6 at night. It was dark and i tripped. Good thing i wasnt by myself because that would have been very embarassing. I walked home with one shoe on. Everyone stared at me, go figures. Especially when I get on the bus. and me being the germ freak i am, i washed my foot as soon as i got home.
I have an ISEP field trip this saturday until sunday. We are going to some volcano.
Since the last time I blogged, I went to Puntarenas. Its a beach town, I went with my friend Kelly. The hostel had a pool so the first night we just hung out at the pool then saturday we went to the beach and got FRIED after being out in the sun for only two hours. AND we used spf 100....what the heck!
I miss all my sorority sisters because it is recruitment time so they all had to deactivate their facebooks for two weeks.
I just got done skyping Ed and Krista. Boy, have I missed them. I also skyped with Amanda earlier, but she doesn't have a camera so I only got to hear her voice...fail amanda.
I have made a lot of "tico" friends. Two in particular that I hang with all the time. I am going to miss them so much.
I am starting to fall in love with Costa Rica and I can honestly say that I won't be ready to leave when the time comes. I have learned more Spanish than I ever have with being here for 3 months. I love the constant Spanish and the food. Speaking of food, while I have been in Costa Rica, I feel the need to eat chocolate EVERY SINGLE DAY! What is wrong with me? That being said, I joined a gym two days ago. It felt so so so good to go workout in a gym and be able to run without having the fear of getting killed. so good, let me tell you.
I feel like I am going to feel so spoiled once I go back to NW and my classes are in English. I had a test today in my dance class. There was a written part and we had to dance two different dances. I think i passed, lets hope! I have to wear this rediculous skirt.
What else is new? uhm, Sunday I went to San Jose to see "son como ninos"- I dont know what its called in english...but its a movie with adam sandler. It was very very funny and I went with two tico friends. One of my friends, he had an interview in English the following day so we went to the mall and talked in english the whole time so he could practice before his interview. Needless to say, he passed the interview :)
Last Saturday, I went out with my friend Kelly and her hermanatica. It was her birthday-we went to hooligans then to a different bar where we could dance. It was a lot of fun to go out with older people. She was turning 28, i want to say?
sorry everything is so scattered. I just have so much to say because I have been gone for so long. People still stare at me like I am some freak or alien. not cool. Yes, i have light hair, and light skin, and light eyes....but does that really give you to feel the need to stare at me for minutes? NO
uhm, okay. That is all for now. I will try to get in the habit of updating this on a daily basis again.
Also, today is kids day in Costa Rica. There was a bunch of stuff going on, it was kind of cool to see because we dont really have a national kids day in the USA.
Buenas Noches y Dulces Suenos! :)
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